The present invention relates generally to methods and devices for treating hair loss and thinning. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and means for determining the amount and/or rate of hair loss in a given female individual. More specifically, the invention pertains to a device that allows for the self-analysis of the density of one""s hair and thereby determines the rate of hair loss or re-growth through therapy.
Hair loss is a problem which many men and women experience in their lifetime. The most common cause of hair loss is associated with the normal aging process. The process of losing one""s hair is most often gradual. It is usually first noticed during washing or grooming. This observation is imprecise in predicting permanent hair loss, as most individual hair follicles go into a dormant period (20% of the hair population at any one time) and a reduction of hair population may be partly the result of this process although this process is usually uniform.
The distinguishing factor which differentiates permanent hair loss from cyclical hair loss is that the population of the hair decreases gradually in affected areas resulting in a permanent loss of hair and a reduction of hair population and hair density. The permanent loss of hair is often selective by anatomical site. In men, hair loss follows one pattern (xe2x80x9cmale pattern baldnessxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9candrogenic alopeciaxe2x80x9d) and in women it follows another pattern. The process of losing hair also occurs at different rates, for different periods of time and at different ages, even in the same individual.
Dermatologists recognize many different types of hair loss, the most common by far being xe2x80x9candrogenic alopeciaxe2x80x9d wherein human males begin losing scalp hair at the temples and on the crown of the head in early adult life. This type of hair loss is more common and more severe in males, hence its common name xe2x80x9cmale pattern baldness.xe2x80x9d However, similar patterned baldness occurs in women, though it progresses more slowly and does not reach the end stage of complete denudation. An effective treatment for these and other related conditions has long been sought.
Many women think thinning hair is abnormal or unnatural, i.e., a man""s problem. Some believe that if their hair is thinning, then they must be sick, or that it""s stress related. Among women younger than 50 who experience hair thinning, most assume that it is caused by something external, while women over 50 normally attribute it to just another part of aging. Temporary conditions such as pregnancy, medication, diet, or stress can cause hair thinning. However, for 70% of the women who experience the condition, it can be attributed to androgenic alopecia.
Both women and men experience androgenic alopecia and approximately 50 million men have hereditary hair thinning compared to nearly 30 million women. However, it affects the genders differently. While men experience xe2x80x9cpattern baldnessxe2x80x9d, vertex balding and/or receding frontal hairline, women generally experience diffused thinning over the top of the head or crown, while most often maintaining a frontal hairline. Androgenic alopecia is non-discriminating, affecting men and women of all races and ethnicities, and is a genetically inherited condition.
Surprisingly, it is not something that happens to women only after menopause. It can begin as early as the 20s and is so common, that by age 35, almost 40% of women demonstrate some signs of hair thinning. By the age of 50, approximately 50% of women will experience some degree of hair-thinning.
As one ages, a combination of heredity, the effects of hormones and age causes certain hair follicles to get smaller and smaller. This prevents the hair from fulfilling its regular growth process, which is usually xc2xd inch per month. With androgenic alopecia, genetically predisposed follicles gradually become smaller and the period of time in which the hair grows is reducedxe2x80x94a process known as miniaturization. And hair that can only grow for a short time is shorter, thinner, even colorless.
There are two types of hair follicles which produce either xe2x80x9cterminal hairsxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cvellus hairs.xe2x80x9d Terminal hairs are coarse, pigmented, long hairs in which the bulb of the follicle is situated deep in the skin, usually in the subcutaneous tissue. Vellus hairs, on the other hand, are fine, thin, non-pigmented short hairs whose bulbs are located superficially in the upper dermis. In patterned alopecia, follicles which produce terminal hairs are gradually converted to vellus ones through a miniaturization process.
Along with this progressive involution there inevitably occurs changes in the proportion of hairs in the various phases of the hair cycle. All follicles pass through a life cycle that includes three phases namely, (1) anagen (2) catagen and (3) telogen. The anagen phase is the period of active hair growth on the scalp that generally lasts from 3-6 years. Catagen is a short transitional phase when the follicle contracts in preparation for a resting period. It lasts a couple of weeks. In the telogen phase, the follicle is in a resting phase where all growth ceases and the hair becomes consisted of short xe2x80x9cclubxe2x80x9d hairs. When a new cycle begins, the club hair is shed. Telogen scalp hairs are relative short-lived, and last only about three to four months.
Normally, approximately 90% of scalp hairs are in the anagen phase, less than 1% exist in the catagen phase and the remainder are in the telogen phase. With the onset of patterned baldness, a successively greater proportion of hairs are in the telogen phase, with correspondingly fewer in the active growth anagen phase.
Additionally, there may be some actual loss of hair follicles but this is limited to the last final phase. For the most part, the visible diminution in the bulk of hair is due to the miniaturization of the follicles. In completely bald areas, all the follicles are in the vellus phase producing ugly, fine, short, non-pigmented hairs which are cosmetically useless. It may take 20 to 30 years for the distinctly anagen follicles on the crown to become transformed into a uniform population of vellus follicles.
Patterned baldness is sometimes called androgenic alopecia because male hormones are necessary for its development. It does not occur before adolescence, nor in castrates.
Attempts to prevent alopecia by hormonal treatments by using anti-androgens or female hormones have failed. A hereditary component is also recognized since patterned alopecia runs in families. Despite intensive investigation, the mechanism whereby terminal follicles convert to vellus ones is unknown.
At the present time, one effective surgical treatment for patterned alopecia is hair transplantation. Plugs of hair-bearing skin from the back of the scalp are transplanted into the bald areas. The procedure is costly and painful. Hundreds of plugs must be transplanted to create an appearance of hairiness and it is virtually impossible to obtain anything near the original density and thickness of terminal hair.
Many other approaches for creating or reversing patterned alopecia have been tried including ultra-violet radiation, massage, chemical irritation and innumerable natural products and herbs. However, none of these have been generally accepted as effective.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means for measuring the degree and rate of hair loss in a given individual, and in particular, in women. The device and method not only are useful in determining how much hair is lost, but, when used in conjunction with the therapies discussed above, how much hair may be regained through the stimulation of new growth and/or the rate at which such hair loss may be delayed and/or retarded.
Pharmaceuticals offer a more rational approach although most tested have been found to be poorly metabolized and the results have been less than satisfactory. In Europe, a schedule of estrogens and anti-androgens have been administered orally to balding females with inconsistent results and with obvious limitations.
The topical application of minoxidil is currently the most effective therapy for patterned alopecia. Minoxidil is a well-known pharmaceutical agent marketed by the Pharmacia Corporation (Peapack, N.J.) and administered in tablet form for the treatment of hypertension. Numerous investigators have demonstrated that it can also stimulate visible hair growth in a majority of balding subjects. The structure and use of this compound is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,139,619 and 4,596,812 to Chidsey, et al. This compound has varying degrees of efficacy for moderating androgenic alopecia, depending on the degree of baldness, its duration, the age of the patient and, of course, on the concentration of the drug in an appropriate vehicle. Early detection of hair loss and treatment with minoxidil can retard further hair loss and stimulate re-growth thereby preventing baldness to a greater extent. Therefore, the earlier it is detected, the better are the chances for hair loss prevention.
The ability to diagnose hair loss in its earliest stages is difficult however and compounded by many aesthetic factors which reflect the visual contrast between hair color and character against the color background of the scalp. In individuals with black course hair and white skin, the contrast is dramatic and hair loss is evident early in the process. In individuals with blond hair and blond skin, significant hair loss can occur before it is evident as the contrast between scalp and hair color is minimal.
In a somewhat related invention, U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,771 to McClaine discloses and claims a comb-like device that is useful in the measurement of hair thickness and density in order to determine the extent and/or degree of hair loss or thinning as well as hair regeneration if undergoing treatment therefore. The comb section or teeth are modified into a plurality of different sized tines for measuring hair depth and thickness while the handle is tapered and calibrated for measuring any increase or decrease in the size of the individual""s part. The handle is further modified through the incorporation of a magnifying glass for visual inspection of the individual""s hair and scalp. The device is primarily designed for women but is used by hair stylists or dermatologists and not the individual to determine the extent of hair density change.
The hair density self-analysis device of the present invention allows for the individual to measure the amount of hair or lack thereof on his or her head without the need for assistance from others. Primarily designed for use by women, the device measures two parameters, the width of the midline part in the scalp and the thickness or density of the ponytail. The device is comprised of a head or body portion that houses an adjustable gauge with operatively connected tines for measuring the part and a flexible handle or appendage portion that is calibrated and measures the thickness and density of the ponytail.